Who the hell is Harvey Kuenn?

[Guest Bret Sabermetric]

Sadly, I realized that Kuenn's name means very little to current fans (according to Steve Rogers' post here) yet I have loads of data stored in my netherregions, not that Kuenn ever meant a damned thing to me. Just like a hundred balllplayers, Kuenn connotes lots of associations. I'll bet random ballplayers connote the same to you.

So here's today's game:

List ten things (facts, stats, memories) you have about the player named by the last person WITHOUT LOOKING HIM UP IN ANY WAY.

I'll begin with Kuenn

1) He came up as a shortstop
2) He won a batting championship early on in his career
3) He was traded to Cleveland for Rocky Colavito around 1959
4) He played mostly outfield
5) He played on the 1962 NL Champ Giants
6) He always had a big chaw of tobaccy in his mouth
7) He ended his career with the Cubs
8) He lost a leg after his career was over (diabetes?)
9) He managed Harvey's Wallbangers
10) He died a while back

Not totally positive about 10), but I think so, and he could have been traded in 1960, but them's the facts as accurately as I remember them. Anyone has corrections, enter them (you're free to look up people already mentioned.)

I'm going to name someone to you to conjure up 10 facts about, but may I suggest that we all stick to nominating people without blatent Metly associations, since that would be too easy?

List ten facts you have in your head about Dave Parker.

[soupcan]

Dave Parker

-Best Player in the game at one time
-The Cobra
-Stearns broke his jaw
-Member of '79 Pirates world champs.
-MVP
-Cannon arm
-Also played with the Reds
-Big diamond earring
-Was the reason Ray Knight cleaned Eric Davis' clock
-I have a game-used Dave Parker bat and it's enormous.


Mark Belanger

[Theoldmole]

The epitome of the good-field, no-hit shortstop -- Earl Weaver believed that a shortstop who prevented runs was more important than one who drove them in.

Was taller than the average middle infielder -- like Marty Marion.

Red Schoendienst.


On edit...whoops...I'm way short of ten. I missed that rule. Anyone else wants to take Belanger, go to it.

[Guest Bret Sabermetric]

TheOldMole wrote: The epitome of the good-field, no-hit shortstop -- Earl Weaver believed that a shortstop who prevented runs was more important than one who drove them in. Was taller than the average middle infielder -- like Marty Marion. Red Schoendienst. On edit...whoops...I'm way short of ten. I missed that rule. Anyone else wants to take Belanger, go to it.

Okay, Mole's two, plus

3) He was from New England like other lighthitting Frenchy ss's Durocher and Maranville

4) He was supposed to have been Joe McEwing to Nolan Ryan's Randy Johnson

5) replaced Luis Aparicio for the O's

6) was replaced by Kiki Garcia

7) active leader in the Player's Association

8) Big smoker

9) Died of lung cancer (8A?)

10) played in great IF w/ Brooks, Davey and Boog.


OE; Oh, yeah--Felipe Alou

[Guest Edgy DC]

Schoendienst caught my fancy as a kid because I could never spell his name right, or even say it right.

1) Although the rules explicitly state that a person can be inducted into the Hall of Fame for a combined legacy of player/manager, player/umpire (there have been a few), player/executive, manager/executive, or some other construction, Red is a rare example of such a Hall of Famer.

2) It was his record that Ryno Sandberg broke for consecutive errorless games at second.

3) Jesse Schoendienst, his great nephew, was drafted by the Cards last year.

4) Managed the awesome Cardinals of the late sixties.

5) Was nearly blinded by an injury he suffered while working in the Civilian Conservation Corps.

6) His injuries made him a liability to the army but not to the St. Louis nine.

7) Broke in as a leftfielder.

8) Got the Cardinal managerial job after they seemingly rashly exiled Johnny Keane and Bing Devine in the midst of a successful run.

9) He returned to the Cards bench in 1980 when Whitey Herzog was briefly elevated to exclusively serve as GM.

10) Still on the Cardinal payroll, as far as I know.

Tell me ten things about John Candeleria. No, he was briefly a Met. Tell me ten things about, um, Steve Yeager.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

1) The protective throat thingy was invented by him or for him I think after taking a bat shard there

2) Played his whole career with the Dodgers but finished with the Mariners

3) OK hitter

4) Platooned with Joe Ferguson

5) Curly, sandy hair a la Gary Carter

6) Was a co-WS MVP

??

[Guest sharpie]

I got one more for Steve Yeager:

7) Related in some way (can't remember) to Chuck Yeager.

[Willets Point]

John Candeleria was friends with my uncle when they were in high school.

[Guest sharpie]

Lenny Harris' first baseball coach was on a high school team with John Candelaria. Says he was the best ballplayer for miles and miles around.

[soupcan]

Willets Point wrote: John Candeleria was friends with my uncle when they were in high school.

Was your uncle a thread-killer back in high school too?

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

OK, let's change this to: Give me more than 5 and as many as 10 if you can "facts" about...

Kevin Tapani